Page 90 of Dirty Deadly & Mine
“What the fuck happened?” I hiss as I take in her appearance.
“You’re not meant to freak out.” She frowns and I shake my head, taking in her face.
She has a purpling bruise and a small scrape on her jaw that matches the one on her shoulder, and a cut on her temple, also rimming with bruising.
“I never agreed to that,” I mutter, my whole body starting to vibrate with rage. “What happened?”
“I got mugged,” she says a little too quickly. “Don’t worry. The cops got the guy.”
Dragging my gaze from her marred flesh, I study her eyes. Her expression.
It’s pinched a tad. It could be from the pain she might be feeling, or from remembering what happened, but fuck… why do I feel like she’s lying?
“You got mugged?”
“Yes.” She nods. “It’s okay, though. I’m fine. Honestly.”
I study her blue eyes and the fine red streaks running through the whites, showing how bloodshot they are.
She’s not fucking fine. Not in the slightest. But I can see that freaking out won’t help, so I gently grip her arms and pull her to my chest, fucking loving that she comes to me so easily.
Cupping the back of her damp hair as she presses her cheek right over my racing heart, I can’t help the words that fall from my lips.
“I’m gonna kill him.”
Instead of making her retreat, my words have the opposite effect, and Lily wraps her arms around me, squeezing tight, as if she’s afraid I’ll disappear.
Fuck. My heart is pounding from both worry and elation that she’s here with me, and I press my lips to the top of her head, not wanting to let go.
Ever.
“How did you go tonight?” she asks, still tucked against my chest.
“I won. Just.”
She pulls back enough to peer up at me, her blue eyes glassy as they connect with mine. “You look as bad as I do.”
I look worse than her, but I’m nowhere near as beat up as last week. But fuck, she shouldn’t look beat up at all.
“Fuck, Lily. This beautiful face should never be marred.” I graze my fingers over her cheek. “I should’ve been with you instead of at some stupid fight.”
She shakes her head. “Nonsense. Getting mugged could never have been predicted.”
“Well, someone should’ve been with you. Why the fuck did you send Barrett to the fight? If he was with you instead of babysitting me, then this wouldn’t have happened.”
Lily smiles warmly, her eyes laced with understanding.
“Asher, I wasmugged. I can’t go around with a bodyguard on the off chance I’ll get mugged one day. It is what it is, and it’s over. I’m fine, and the guy is locked up.”
Pressing my forehead to hers, I peer into her stunning eyes and speak the truth.
“I can’t fucking lose you, Lil. I only just got you.”
Her eyes flicker with uncertainty at my words, and I know she’s questioning the seriousness of what’s going on between us. Probably trying to figure out if there’s even a future with someone like me.
I’ll show her. Over time, she’ll understand.
“I’m not going anywhere, Asher,” Lily whispers, and fuck, there’s that accent again, thick and raw and just for me.
